Court sets bypass hearing date

Federal Judge Jeffrey White set June 7 for the main hearing on the pending lawsuit seeking to stop the Highway 101 bypass around Willits as currently designed.

A quick 11-minute case management conference was held November 16 in U.S. Northern District Court in San Francisco, involving all parties to the bypass lawsuit.

Judge White scheduled June 7 to hear summary judgment motions from all sides. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it is likely this will be the main "trial" for the lawsuit.

An earlier February 22 hearing is scheduled to allow both sides to supplement the current record before heading into the legal sparring over summary motions.

In a summary judgment hearing, the judge determines whether he has sufficient evidence to rule in favor of either the plaintiffs or defendants on each count of a lawsuit. This hearing could resolve the suit, or substantially narrow the issues left for resolution.

The judge set a series of deadlines leading up to the hearing.

Environmental groups must file opening briefs by April 5. The filing of the briefs triggers a CalTrans rebuttal; then counter arguments by the plaintiffs; finally leaving CalTrans with the last word by May 17.

The Willits Environmental Center, the Redwood chapter of the Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Environmental Protection Information Center, and the California Farm Bureau will be providing arguments in support of the lawsuit, requesting the judge grant immediate relief through a summary judgment against CalTrans.

Conversely, CalTrans and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be providing arguments refuting all counts in the pending lawsuit.

The judge typically reviews all the information submitted and narrows the scope of the June hearing in advance. He also can issue a summary judgment without actually conducting the final hearing.